Vlad Chiriches

Tottenham will continue their summer spending with the signing of Steaua Bucharest centre-back Vlad Chiriches.

The Romania international, 23, is in London to finalise a deal reported to be worth £8.5m.

Roma forward Erik Lamela, 21, is also close to completing his £25.7m move to White Hart Lane, which could trigger Gareth Bale's move to Real Madrid.

Bale has failed to report for training for a third consecutive day as talks between Spurs and Real continue.

The Spanish side's vice-president Fernando Fernandez Tapias said: "There are problems but in the end I think it will happen."

According to Spanish news agency Efe, he said: "We're going to wait because [Tottenham] are dragging their feet.

"There is no doubting Bale's class, but Real Madrid without Bale is a great Madrid, we have a team of warriors."

Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas said he may fine the Welsh international after he failed to show up on Wednesday.

Bale, 24, was due back at the club on Tuesday after a break in Marbella.

But deals to bring Chiriches and Lamela to Spurs will happen irrespective of the Bale transfer, with the duo set to take the club's spending this summer beyond £90m.

Chiriches, who has been capped 19 times by Romania, will strengthen Spurs' defensive options after Steven Caulker was sold to Cardiff City and William Gallas was released.

He made his international debut in August 2011 and helped Steaua end their seven-year wait for the Romanian league championship last season.

_________________“I have been here since I was a boy, I have always considered it my Club and have always found it hard to imagine wearing the shirt of another team," Ledley King 2012 (any Spurs fan would say the same)